Housing and Community Development

We're in need of amunition to support the real costs of adding sustainable design details to typical housing, such as going to LEED levels, Green Globes or Energy Star. Developer/Builders are using what we consider to be outlandish costs to avoid doing better projects.  Can anyone lead us to the best info?

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Ben Allers AIA
Senior Project Manager
Gastinger Walker Harden Architects
Kansas City MO
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Thomas Marsh AIA
Fairbanks AK
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In my opinion, the best practice is to design for reduced energy consumption and costs with durable, low maintenance materials and to avoid damage from bulk water and vapor intrusions and forget costly certifications.  Certifying to LEED is only worth it if the client is willing to pay for the PR and brownie points they receive.





Original Message:
Sent: 03-19-2012 17:15
From: Ben Allers
Subject: Cost of Green Design

We're in need of amunition to support the real costs of adding sustainable design details to typical housing, such as going to LEED levels, Green Globes or Energy Star. Developer/Builders are using what we consider to be outlandish costs to avoid doing better projects.  Can anyone lead us to the best info?

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Ben Allers AIA
Senior Project Manager
Gastinger Walker Harden Architects
Kansas City MO
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There are lots of tools available for this, but the best ones are designed on a project by project basis.  All projects have their own eccentricities.  We start with a spread sheet on most projects. If we do "X" you save "Y" on Item ABC.  Usually there is a reduction in initial cost, but sometimes not and the payback period has a much longer cycle. (Read Geothermal HVAC)  We try to show the client this and help teach them enough to make an informed decision.  Sometimes the program will dictate solar PV's, but in my area of Mississippi more often than not this is not a realistic approach to sustainable design.  

We have found that it all starts with a tight building envelope, insulation and basic plug load reduction.  It is cheap in the grand scheme of it all and it reduces the demand (size) of the more expensive items that we chalk up to eco-bling.  

At the end of the day, it is really hard to put a dollar sign on a good designed project and site plan that is able to use all the free stuff.   As far as training the contractors, well we start with high end home builders and work with them.  They are use to seeing all the products, but sometimes their subs need a healthy dose of this is the NEW way of doing it.  We get our hands dirty on most of our residential project in the field and most of the subs and especially our clients respect that about my firm.    

I hope this helps.

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Jeffrey Seabold AIA, NCARB, LEED AP Homes
Principal Architect
Seabold Architectural Studio
Chair
USGBC MS Chapter
Jackson MS
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-19-2012 17:15
From: Ben Allers
Subject: Cost of Green Design

We're in need of amunition to support the real costs of adding sustainable design details to typical housing, such as going to LEED levels, Green Globes or Energy Star. Developer/Builders are using what we consider to be outlandish costs to avoid doing better projects.  Can anyone lead us to the best info?

-------------------------------------------
Ben Allers AIA
Senior Project Manager
Gastinger Walker Harden Architects
Kansas City MO
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I work for a redevelopment authority, primarily in the area of affordable housing.  While there are many programs that help make housing affordable to purchase, it is equally important to make housing affordable to maintain and operate.  About five years ago, my agency began to require our builder-partners to certify houses under one of the established green building programs.  While we do not specify a program, most of the builders have elected to use EarthCraft, which is well-established here in the mid-Atlantic.

Our first challenge was educating builders who had a certain way of doing business but often little knowledge of the principles and practices of green building.  Providing or promoting educational opportunities to demystify this unfamiliar area has been an important part of our work.  For the builders, this effort obviously must extend to subcontractors, who may require extra supervision as their routines adjust.  Their first green house was a learning curve; after that, the work quickly became routine.  In my view, being quoted "outlandish costs" by builders or developers simply reflects a reluctance to make changes to standard practice.  However, as one looks at trends in the design and construction industries, Code development, legislation, and consumer preferences, there is little question in my mind that those who refuse to evolve will not remain in business.  

In our experience, the premium of building to basic green measures (including certification fees) adds as little as 2% to our construction costs, and no more than 5%.  To be clear, this is housing designed and built to sell for about $100 a square foot, so we're not able to include the most progressive equipment and materials.  All green building programs have different tiers of certification, and costs can increase substantially at the highest tiers.  In terms of choosing a program, our experience has been that the administrative process needs to be as "builder-friendly" as possible, and the best choice is likely to vary regionally.

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Nathaniel McCormick AIA
Architect
Norfolk Redevelopment Housing Authority
Norfolk VA
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